Next Fest Day 1: The Iron Legion & Green Tide

For Day 1 we're digging into The Iron Legion & The Green Tide! Inspired by Medieval Europe & the orcs of classic fantasy, we designed these factions with a beginner friendly playstyle and balanced army that has a little a bit of everything.

The Iron Legion

Forged in the crucible of fractured kingdoms and ceaseless border wars, the Iron Legion rose from the ashes of petty feuds to become the mailed fist of a reborn empire. In ages past, the heartlands were divided among squabbling barons, their banners torn down as quickly as they were raised. It was only when the great forges of the central provinces began to thunder day and night that unity was imposed by steel rather than parchment. The Legion was not born of chivalric idealism, but of necessity. Roads were choked with brigands, harvests burned by raiders, and rival lords sold their swords to foreign crowns. The Iron Legion answered with discipline, drilled formations, and a doctrine that prized order above all. Where other realms relied on feudal levies, the Legion demanded structure. Every spear point aligned. Every cannon sighted. Every oath sworn not to a lord’s whim, but to the enduring strength of the state itself.

At the center of the Legion stands a belief older than the empire it defends: that civilization survives only when shielded by unwavering resolve. Drawing inspiration from knightly orders, imperial legions, and the mercenary hosts of history, the Iron Legion blends piety with pragmatism. Cathedral bells toll above foundries that cast cannon barrels. Knightly vows are spoken beside contracts signed in ink and blood. From the glittering Royal Cavaliers who thunder across the battlefield in golden plate to the soot streaked gunners of the Kaiser Cannon, each soldier understands their role in the Iron Legion. To stand against the Iron Legion is to face not chaos or fury, but methodical, grinding inevitability.

Faction Effects

• Imperial Edict: First recruitment pack is free upon entering a town.

Sir Edric Valeward

Sir Edric Valeward is the embodiment of the old code, a knight forged in the final embers of an age that still believed in honor as much as victory. Born to a minor noble house nearly extinguished in a succession war, Edric earned his renown not through inheritance, but through relentless service. He fought in muddy fields where banners sank into blood-soaked earth, held castle gates against impossible odds, and personally led countercharges that turned certain defeat into legend. His armor, battered yet immaculately maintained, bears the scars of decades of warfare. To his men, he is not simply a commander, but a standard made flesh. Edric believes the Legion must be both shield and sword. Under his leadership, veterans rally harder, rare companies fight with renewed fury, and even the humblest levy feels the weight of shared purpose. He does not chase glory. He defends legacy. And on the battlefield, his booming command carries farther than any trumpet.

Hero Effects

• The Olde Guard: Rare Units gain +10 Leadership and +4 Melee Attack

• Take Back Our Lands: All units gain +2 Charge Bonus

Rhydan Greythorne

Rhydan Greythorne walks a quieter path than Valeward, but no less deadly. Raised on the empire’s wooded frontier, where borders blur and law travels only as far as an arrow can fly, Rhydan learned early that survival favors precision over pride. He earned distinction not in grand tournaments, but in skirmishes against raiders, beastkin, and shadowed threats that never make it into courtly songs. Draped in green and shadow, he commands the Deepwood Rangers with calm authority. Where other commanders rely on walls and massed ranks, Rhydan prefers misdirection, ambush, and the steady erosion of enemy morale. Under his guidance, common soldiers stiffen their resolve and archers strike with unnerving accuracy. He is proof that the Iron Legion’s strength is not only found in shining plate and roaring cannon, but also in patience, discipline, and the quiet certainty of a drawn bowstring.

Hero Effects

• Ranger Captain: Deepwood Rangers gain +10 Accuracy and +4 Missile Strength

• The Everyman: Common units gain +10 Leadership and +4 Melee Defense

Units

Borderland Riders

Light cavalry drawn from the empire’s outer marches, the Borderland Riders are swift responders to threats along contested roads and open plains. Armed with sturdy spears and hardened by constant patrol, they excel at harrying flanks and running down wavering foe

Field Pikemen Disciplined infantry trained to stand shoulder to shoulder, Field Pikemen form the backbone of the Legion’s defensive lines. Their bristling wall of spearpoints can blunt cavalry charges and hold ground against superior numbers.

Levy Swordsmen Called from farms and towns in times of war, Levy Swordsmen carry sword and shield in service to crown and coin. Though not professional soldiers, their courage swells when anchored by veteran officers.

Peasant Bowmen Drawn from woodland villages and trained in seasonal musters, Peasant Bowmen provide steady volleys from behind the safety of heavier infantry. Their simple bows lack refinement, but their numbers make every arrow count.

Arbalesters Clad in padded armor and armed with powerful crossbows, their disciplined reload drills ensure a relentless rhythm of fire.

Hearthbound Knights Sworn to defend hearth and homeland, these armored knights ride with shield and sword into the thickest fighting. Their unwavering loyalty makes them a steadfast hammer against enemy lines.

Kaiser Cannon The thunder of the Kaiser Cannon signals the empire’s might long before its infantry arrive. Forged in imperial foundries, its iron shot shatters any formations unfortunate enough to be caught in its sights.

Landsknecht Greatswords Inspired by famed mercenary traditions, these flamboyantly armored warriors wield massive two-handed blades. They carve brutal paths through dense infantry formations with disciplined aggression.

Milanese Polearms Clad in gleaming plate reminiscent of southern armorers, the Milanese Polearms combine elegance with lethal reach. Their disciplined thrusts keep enemy elites at bay.

Black Eagle Halberdiers Elite guardians bearing the empire’s black eagle, these heavily armored soldiers wield halberds with crushing precision. They are trusted to anchor the most critical sections of the battlefield and hold the line against large units.

Eisnmann Regiment Among the first to master black powder warfare, the Eisnmann Regiment unleashes disciplined musket volleys that tear through advancing ranks. Smoke and flame follow wherever they take position.

Imperial Templars Bound by sacred oath and bearing shields marked with the cross, the Imperial Templars fight with mace in hand and faith in their hearts. Their presence steels nearby allies against fear and doubt.

Royal Cavaliers Encased in radiant golden armor and armed with towering lances, the Royal Cavaliers embody imperial splendor and shock power. Their thunderous charge can break even the most disciplined foe.

Deepwood Rangers (Legenday Unit for Rhydan Greythorne) Masters of woodland warfare, the Deepwood Rangers strike unseen and vanish before retaliation can come. Their longbows sing from the treeline, guided by patience and deadly accuracy.

Kriegesguard (Legendary Unit for Sir Edric Valeward) Legendary veterans clad in the heaviest armor the empire can forge, the Kriegesguard wield immense war maces capable of crushing shield and bone alike. They advance with implacable resolve, a living symbol of the Legion’s indomitable will.

The Green Tide

No empire charts the borders of the Green Tide, because no map can contain it. It gathers in the dark places of the world: in jagged mountain passes, in choking swamps where the sun fears to linger, and in the ruins of cities too broken to defend themselves. Orcs and goblins do not build kingdoms in the manner of men. They erupt. They swarm. They answer the oldest law they know, that strength is proven in battle and leadership is seized by whoever stands tallest atop the heap of fallen challengers. When the drums begin to echo through the valleys and the smoke of a thousand cookfires darkens the horizon, it is already too late. The Tide is moving.

Yet for all their savagery, the Green Tide is not mindless chaos. Beneath the roar of warhorns lies a brutal ecosystem of dominance and cunning. Goblins scheme in the shadows while hulking orcs batter down gates. Trolls lumber forward as living siege engines while wolves circle like patient blades. What appears to be disorder is in truth a cruel efficiency. Every raid feeds the horde. Every sack of a city swells its ranks. They do not wage war for glory or land, but for the sheer, intoxicating thrill of conquest. And when a powerful warlord rises to unite the clans, the Tide becomes more than a mob. It becomes an avalanche of muscle, iron, and fire that crashes over the civilized world without pause, without mercy, and without end.

Faction Effects

• Endless Hordes: Heal all units by 20% of their max health after winning a battle

Kragmuk Gorethirster

Kragmuk Gorethirster did not inherit his title. He earned it in the only way an orc can: by surviving every challenge thrown at him and crushing the skulls of those who doubted him. Towering even among his brutal kin, Kragmuk carved his legend during the Siege of Blackrock Vale, where he personally tore open the city gates after three days of ceaseless assault. His presence on the battlefield is like a storm breaking. Orc Ravagers fall into a frenzy beneath his roar, their blades striking harder and faster as terror spreads through enemy ranks. Kragmuk believes that war should never end, only escalate. Cities are not conquered for territory but for the joy of burning them twice over. Under his command, victory is not merely survival. It is excess. More blood. More fire. More spoils.

Hero Effects

• A taste for man flesh: Orc ravagers cause Terror and gain +10 Melee Attack and +4 Weapon Strength

• Burn them all: 2x rewards from sacking cities

Boblin the Goblin King

Where Kragmuk rules through raw dominance, Boblin the Goblin King rules through cunning, cowardice, and uncanny luck. Small by goblin standards and almost laughable beside an orc warlord, Boblin survives because he sees opportunity where others see danger. He has been stabbed, betrayed, and nearly eaten more times than any scribe could count, yet he always returns with a larger following and a wider grin. Boblin understands what goblins crave: numbers, noise, and the promise of easy plunder. His war drums echo through caverns and forests alike, drawing rabble from every dark hole in the earth. Under his command, even the weakest goblin fights with unnatural confidence, emboldened by sheer mob mentality. Boblin does not seek glorious combat. He seeks overwhelming advantage. And when his hordes descend upon a battlefield, it is less a charge and more a living landslide of shrieking green bodies.

Hero Effects

• AdjustedDrums in the DeepCommon card packs cost reduced to 1 gold.

• Go forth my hordes: Goblins gain +20 leadership and +4 Melee Attack

Units

Dire Wolves

Lean and vicious, Dire Wolves race ahead of the horde to tear into exposed flanks. They strike fast and vanish before retaliation can come.

Goblin Rabble

Ill equipped and barely disciplined, Goblin Rabble swarm enemies with crude blades and reckless enthusiasm. Individually weak, they become dangerous when gathered in overwhelming numbers.

Goblin Scrap Shooters

Armed with warped bows and mismatched arrows, Scrap Shooters pepper the battlefield from a safe distance. Their aim is unreliable, but volume is their greatest weapon.

Armored Direwolves

Fitted with jagged plates and spiked harnesses, Armored Direwolves crash into enemy lines with greater staying power. Their added protection turns swift hunters into brutal shock cavalry.

Bogmaw Troll

Towering brutes from fetid swamps, Bogmaw Trolls wield massive spiked clubs that crush armor and bone alike. Their thick hides and unnatural resilience make them hard to bring down.

Dire Riders

Goblin warriors mounted atop snarling Dire Wolves, Dire Riders combine speed with vicious spear thrusts. They excel at harassing vulnerable units and exploiting broken formations.

Orc Impalers

Disciplined by orc standards, Impalers brace their long spears to receive charges head-on. Their brutal thrusts can halt cavalry and pin even larger foes in place.

Orc Ravagers

Clad in scavenged armor and driven by bloodlust, Ravagers hack through enemies with sword and shield. They thrive in prolonged melee where their ferocity can shine.

Orc Stalkers

Hunters of the wilds, Orc Stalkers fire heavy arrows with surprising precision. They favor ambushes and relish attacking prey in the back.

Fleshshredder Fanatics

Whirling twin scimitars in each hand, Fleshshredder Fanatics hurl themselves into enemy ranks with manic delight. They exist to carve infantry apart in a frenzy of steel.

Gobber Lobber

A ramshackle contraption of wood and rope, the Gobber Lobber flings bomb-laden orcs into enemy lines in explosive assaults. It is equal parts siege engine and suicidal spectacle.

Irongut Enforcers

Massive, heavily armored orcs with cruel iron masks, Irongut Enforcers radiate menace. Their sheer bulk and brutality can shatter enemy morale before blades even meet.

Stonehewer Giant

Colossal and dim-witted, Stonehewer Giants uproot trees and hurl boulders with earth-shaking force. When they wade into combat, entire formations buckle beneath their steps.

Meatgrinders

Elite orc warriors wielding twin blades, Meatgrinders specialize in flanking and butchering distracted foes. Their skill and savagery make them the pride of any warlord’s host.

Siegeclaws

Crude but devastating, Siegeclaws hurl massive flaming boulders that explode upon impact. The fire and chaos they unleash can break both walls and willpower alike.